Marshall Ridgeway
Early Life Marshall Rideway was born during the final decades of the to a modestly arisoctratic family on Kuat. His father Joseph Ridgeway was an educated criminal defense lawyer, becoming the chosen lawyer of the Kuati Elite and provided a rich lifestyle for the Ridgeways, which was supplemented by his mother Shannon Ridgeway who served as an Accountant for many of her husbands clients. Despite the fact his parents professions rare called them off world, developed an intense passion for space and its wonders which was enhanced by his family's frequent vacations to explore the many regions of the galaxy. When was 11, during a trip to Coruscant it was there for the first time he saw a brand new Republic Battleship in orbit. It was unlike anything he had seen before in his life, a hulking mass of metallic majesty and imienent power: from then onward knew what he wanted to do. The Galactic Republic It was there in the Republic that that he soon found himself feeling alive and new, away from his parents and their problems. His wealthy educated hat instilled not only a sense of duty and independence in Ridgeway, but a "worldly knowledge" of the galaxy and its history. His instructors not only noted his intelligence but his supreme abilities as a pilot, becoming one of the best in his class. Serving two years in the academy, graduated in Year - 28 into what he desicovered was a dissapointingly underdeveloped and unsophisticated military. His first assignment was as a Squadron Commander of Coruscanti Security Forces. first encounter with live combat came with blindng speed and far sooner than he expected. Act of Contrition A series of Trandoshian pirates had felt that the best place to hide from the Republic, was right in its heart. Having spent the last several years terrorizing outer-rim trade roots, they began to move core-ward and were looking for a place to lay low, with a great deal of Republic Money. Unfortunatly for them, Republic Inteligence had picked up on this place and designated Ridgeway and his Squadron to persue and disable the ship so the assets could be retreived. The young 2nd Leuteniant was apprehensive about his new orders: he knew that not only were Pirates unlikely to not fight back, but Trandoshan ones would easily fight to the death. The pirates arrived in system moving towards Coruscant in the shadow of a large cruiser in an attempt to not be noticed. Ridgeway had already suspected the trick an engaged the Pirates with his squadrons ion cannons. Much as he expected, the Pirates freighter was heavily armed and armored making the ion connons useless. A a consequence several of his Wingmates were destroyed; no longer concerned for capturing the ship he fired all of his Toscan 8-Q's weapons, obliterating the ship and its contents. The incident infuriated Republic Security Command despite the fact Ridgeway's Squadron had suffered and would have suffered more losses, however the event was highly publizised by Republic Press, and when information of the Pirates activties was leaked to the Press, Ridgeway became a mild public hero, and the Republic Command had no choice bu to promote him to Lt. However, the corrupt commanders were unwilling to let this down, and Ridgeway was transfered to a small outer-im patrol fleet in the Year -27. The Clone Wars Only two years later in Year -25, Marshall was still patroling sectors of the Outer Rim in his now aging Toscan 8-Q. Despite the infrastructure of the Republic, Ridgeway received only hints of the events unfolding in the galaxy. Ridgeway had gained a significant amount of experience combating pirates and slavers along the outer-rim, something which would aide him greatly in the years to come. He soon received a general transmission from Command to head to Sumitra. Travelling for several days, Ridgeway and the patrol fleet jumped out of hyprespace in the midst of a titanic battle between ships he had never before seen, right next toa hulking behemoth with the symbol of the Trade Federation. Ridgeway was quick to react and quickly maneuvered past what clearly became his enemey as most of the poorly armed patrol fleet was hammered by laser fire from the massive ship. Amongst the chaos he spotted what appeared to be Vulture droids and quickly began attacking them as he weaved in and out of the mostly foreighn vessels. The battle raged on for hours until the CIS forces retreated, ushering in the beginning of the Clone Wars. Soldier of the Republic Ridgeway was quickly given command of a fighter squadron of ARC -170's and made a Lt of the Republic Military, a prospect which excited Ridgeway. Having been dismayed by the fact the Republic itself hadn't had a military for centuries when he first joined, Ridgeway was now thrusted head on into a war the likes of which no one could imagine. Attatched to a large and powerful fleet, he began to fight in battle of battle, from the Core Worlds to the Outer-rim, scoring countless kills on Droids Fighters, admitdely pleased with the fact the majority of what he shot down never had any sentient life like his. Ridgeway soon found himself promoted to Lt Commander in the final months of the War and was transfered to an Acclemator class assault ship. It was there her witnessed the end of the war during the titanic Battle of Coruscant as the CIS attempted a last ditch effort to end the war in their favor. During the battle his Captain died, leaving the vessel in his command which he successfully navigated arund the ages of the main fighting, taking out any enemy ships attempting to retreat. With the end of the battle came the end of the clone wars, and the rise of the Galactic Empire. Soldier of the Empire As the Republic fell, and the Empire rose, little changed for Marshall besides his uniform and his rank. Made a Commander in the Navy for his role in the final battle of the War, he continued to serve as commander of the Accelmator for several years as the Empire steadily grew in power and fullfilled the promises it made. However, Ridgeway had reservations from the very beginning of its conception. He could not help but find it odd that the Jedi whom he had grown to respect during the war, would turn on the galaxy so quickly. Having the benefit of a historical education, he knew of there thousands of years of service, which did not lend to the theory of their treason. His skeptical opinions of the Empire grew daily as he saw civil liberties wain, unopposed racism rule, and the rise of the Sith to dominate the Empire. No longer comfortable with the Empire...he quietly left in the Year -15, citing personal and family reasons, never to return for another 25 years, to a much different Empire. A Measure of Salvation Having left the Empire, and with no real contact with his family anymore, the 34 year old Ridgeway realized he had no taste to sit around the galaxy and do nothing, so he quickly went to work looking for an occupation that would suit him. Using his wealth to great use , Ridgeway bought a Ubrikkian Space Yacht customized to be able to hold cargo or passengers safely and securely. Using his connections from both his family, and his former place in the Empire, Ridgeway began the private Bussiness of transporting special cargo or persons for the wealthy elite in the galaxy. Traveling mostly alone in the galaxy for the few months, Ridgeway found a happy lifestyle amongst his luxury ship and the flow of credits as he moved from one place in the galaxy to the next, forming a long list of useful contacts. Marriage His first large contract proved to be one of the most fruitful in many ways, mostly resulting in his wife. At the age of 34, Ridgeway had never had the time to settle down with anyone, his duties in the Empire had kept him constantly traveling, and in fact most of the past 15 years had been sent in space. He was soon assigned to transport a wealthy young woman, Carolanne Vugatti, daughter of a wealthy businessman on Corellia. Ridgeway immediatley fell in love with her during his time escorting her, and several months later asked her hand in marriage. Coming from a wealthy family himself, her father had no qualms, and the two had a small private wedding in -13. For the next 13 years they worked together aboard their space Yatch, transporting cargo and personnel, letting most of the galaxies troubles pass them by. However with the formation of the Rebel Alliance, and the massive exodus of galactic governments everywhere, Ridgeway was about to meet one man who would prove to be a faithful friend, and forever change Marshall's world Javon Calton In the Year 0, Marshall and Carolanne came across a lone Firespray by chance in a system they often used to rest in. Having shown no signs of aggression, Marshall hailed them and much to his surprise the ship responded. Ridgeway invited its pilot on board, expecting some sort of hardened veteran of the clan wars. What he found instead was a young man likley less than half his age at least. His name was Javon Calton, a young human born on Kathol. He never went much into his family, and never did for as long as Marshall knew him. What he did become was an invaluable friend during his lifetime, helping him survive through thick and thin, even when he was supposed to be his enemy. Though the initial meeting was briif, but it was the beginning of a very long relationship that would bring Ridgeway out of exile and back into the events of the greater galaxy. Alone in the Galaxy Carolanne and Marshall's relationship began to fall apart as the years dragged on. Having settled down on Kuat with no children, Carolanne began to spend their money lavishly and drink excessilvey during the day, infuriating Ridgeway causing him to fall into a mild depression for is inability to stop her habits. They began to fight often and her behavior became increasingly irrational despite her intelligence and education, making it difficult to have her around. Having lost all patience for her, and realizing despite his love for her there was nothing he could do, the two got divorced in Year 3. He left her half of his assets and their Ubrikkian Space Yacht, never expecting to hear from her again. At 52 years old Ridgeway was now alone in a massive house on Kuat, with nothing but himself and what assets and money he had left. He continued a decent flow of income from investments, enough to sustain his lifestyle. The next four years were spent in quiet activity, looking over his past achievements, his days as a Commander in the Republic and Empire. It was then that Ridgeway rekindled his military dreams prowess and abilities. Alone with only his money, Ridgeway craved desperatley for an opertunity he feared would never come. One day, out of the blue, an old friend Javon Calton messaged him, an opertunity for an old leader to taste the savor of command once more. It was an opertunity he couldnt pass up. Tamerin Foundation and the New Anzat Order Cerberus and and early days in Ex-Ops On Year 8, Day 119, Marshall Ridgeway sold his house and assets on Kuat and found himself on Ordint in the Churba sector, the newest member of , the military wing of the , a hulking body of corporate empires collected under the single lead of , a man Marshall was told to both respect and fear, though he could have never known what was in store for him. He began as a Leuteniant under the direct command of his friend, Colonel who served as the executive Officer of General . His early days were quiet, used getting to know his superiours and the men around him. Javon had promised Marshall, that with his ability he would rise quickly in the ranks of Ex-Ops and would be serving directly under Javon. Marshall moved quickly through the ranks as he became as Captain directly under Colonel Calton, proving to The Foundation Council his abilities as a commander and leader. Within several months Marshall was already a Colonel within the force, having surpassed Calton who moved to become Corporate President of the Cerberus Corporation. Intent on becoming a man to be reckoned with once more, Marshall worked tirelessly until a month later he became the Commanding Officer of the Ex-Ops The Troubles with Anzat and Tamerin General Ridgeway, now found himself in a world far different than he had imagined, but challenges were his specialty and he would make the best of what he had. The Tamerin Foundation served as the corporate arm of the , and along with that Ex-Ops acted as a Militia branch of the Royal Anzati Military. This produced an interesting mix of military oversight and corporate leadership. Unfortunatley, this resulted in the fact that Ex-Ops could be effectivley controlled and micro-managed by anyone with corporate authority, or anyone with clearance from Tamerin. Despite the problematic nature of his command, Ridgeway began setting down plans for expansion of the of Ex-ops into a much more powerful and versatile group designed to supplement the NAO Military. By all extents Ridgeway thought he had found his calling, and that his posisiton there was sure for years to come...until he met Wilhelm von Ismay. Having just met Degan Dassa, his counterpart of the NAO Army, he found himself amidst a meeting with who he came to know as the Regent of NAO, Wihelm von Ismay. Ridgeway was born respecting superiors, until he met the Regent. The topic was instantly put upon the new Anzat Militia under Ridgeway, which von Ismay quickly disaparaged as being nothing like a real military and it would remain like that, going so far as to insult Ridgeway. The confrontation resulted in an intense dislike of Ismay from Ridgeway and an oppressive distrust of Ridgeway from Ismay. However despite the fact that the bets were against him, Ridgeway quickly moved into action with his plans for Ex-Ops under the Tamerin Foundation and NAO. The downside of this confrontation between Ridgeway and the Regent, was that it turned Ridgeway into a maverick, causing him to be outspoken and acerbic towards what he saw as an increasingly tyrannical NAO and Tamerin Foundation. He found his only real friend among the corporate heads was Javon Calton, and his adopted son Eric Twaites. The Councilors began to take a sharper and sharper turn against Ridgeway in some cases, believing that if they wore him down enough he would submit to what they wanted. This came to a head when Ridgeway spoke out against the Ismays stating they no longer deserved to be in power over NAO. Word of this reached Ismays ears who quickly demanded Marshall be arrested and executed. For several weeks Marshall remained free, but without a rank or place within the Tamerin Foundation. Despite his words, Auron saw value in Marshall as a leader but refused to allow him back into he military. Dismayed at the situation and fearful for never having a command again, Marshall persisted and waited for the oppertunity. Having no choice when Auron's chosen replacment was no longer able to do the job, Marshall was given back his rank and title in time for a new transformation of command. Oversector Command Having learned the lessons of his mistakes, Ridgeway quickly set to mending relationships with his superiors and befriending and earning the trust of many more such as and Fuzzy Tenrub. Most important Ridgeways plans had worked and Ex-Ops had became the much larger and more powerful Oversector Command, which acted as the Churba section of the Anzati Military, effectively making him General of an entire Wing of the NAO Military. He quickly set out to expand Oversector Command, streamlining their chain of command, implementing better training protocol and instilling discipline in all of its fleets. By the end of year 8 Oversector Command was the most powerful military force in the sector, and has surpassed the rest of the Anzati Military by lightyears. Downfall from NAO Although Ridgeway had changed significantly, he was still at times a difficult and abbrasive commander, resentful of much of the Council for its refusal to allow him to sit on it as a General, and irritated with Aurons increasing amount of micromanaging. This situation came to a boiling point when Javon and Eric robbed million in credits and assets from the newest Shipyards in the Tamerin Foundation, setting them back significantly. Simply by association alone, Ridgeway was relieved of command until his "innocence could be prove" a move which infuriated Ridgeway who had no connection with the robbery. As a result of this his level o resentment and anger reach a critical mass, and he approached his executive officer, about leaving the Foundation and NAO to start a new somewhere, citing his treatment by the council as appaulling. Before this, Ridgeway and Daverson had both developed a friendship with a Bothan, Councilor Fuzzy Tenrub, whom proved to be a valuable friend, or so Ridgeway thought, a mistake he would pay for. Daverson in an attempt to stop Ridgeway went to Tenrub about the situation, assuming Ridgeways friend would talk him down as he had in the past... Instead as Ridgeway later discovered, he lied to the Council about the situation, claiming Ridgeway was attempting to defect and harm NAO...Wilhelm von Ismay ordered his arrest and execution upon sight. However, Marshall had developed a series of very powerful and skilled friends who quickly sent him word of the situation. Dismayed but with little choice to flee, he got on his personal fighter and headed for deep space. With his XO choosing to stay behind, his men having done the same, and his career and acheivements now nothing, Marshall Ridgeway now found himself no longer a General, the fact which he lived for beforehand. Depressed and defeated, he found his savior in the very thing that created him...Imperials. The New Imperial Order Having contacts within the Order, Ridgeway acted quickly, wasting now time in seeking a place within the New Imperial Order. The Galactic Empire had since become the sprawling tyranny of brutality he knew it would, and that was nothing he had any interest in persuing. Making contact with the order he went though the standard academy process, mostly as a formality, and soon found himself an Ensign, in in the New Imperial Navy in early Year 9. Being an Ensign at 59 Years old was somewhat of a disturbing thought; his transistion into the New Imperial Order was rocky and at times problematic in private, as he was still quite resentful of the way in which he was treated by NAO, and the fact all of what he say as achievements, were now effectivley over. Despite this...NIO proved to be a haven and sanctuary for Ridgeway, which re-fostered his skills as a military commander. Comapred to the chaatic and timultuous NAO which was often consumed by ineffective government and in-fighting...the New Imperial Order was a bastion of order and justice, proving both fair and respectful of Ridgeway's hard work. His first assignment was as a Commander of a small Carrack cruiser under Lt . He slowly worked his way up in the ranks and posistions within the New Imperial Fleet, befriending then Commander Senki Blackrain and even the Grand Vizier Guinar Ndengin. In the early moments of his career, he at times came ot head with then Naval CO, Commodore whom was at times harsh commander, and rubbed edges with Ridgeway. However, noting his downfall in NAO this never became anything of that magnitude. Eventually towards the end of Year 9, Marshall became a Lt and served as the First Fleet XO under Commander Hope Khaleon, where he remained for some months. Several months into Year 10 the New Imperial Navy underwent a massive overhaul which left Marshall in command of a brand new Heavy Transport line. However, his command was short lived when he heard news of the merger between the New Imperial Order, and the Galactic Empire. Promoted to Lt Commander only days before there transistion to the hulking Empire, Ridgeway looked pensivley ahead to what lay for his future. The Galactic Empire The move to his old stomping grounds was surprisingly smooth and effortless. Although without an assignment for several days, he found that many of the Officers in the Empire where much as he remembered, dutiful,, driven and respectable people. As a Fleet Chief of Staff, he soon proved to be the asset to the Empire he had once been, the asset and loyal commander he was to NIO and NAO before that. Someday, or another, he knew that the fortunes of command would grace themselves upon him once more.